How do you pick a good koi Showa?
Start selecting a young showa, as with other young koi, by looking at the head. The head should have all 3 colors (red, black and white), preferably in equal amounts. Best would be to have a good kohaku head with either a lightening stripe or a v-shape in black on the top of the head.
How do you tell a Showa koi?
Showa koi have a thick, sumi-dominant base color with a shiny appearance. The black extends along the length of the body and sparsely extends into the fins. The solid black color is of major importance when identifying Showa. Beni often appears on Showa in large patches.
What is the rarest koi color?
Ki Utsuri, by far the rarest type of Utsuri, combine patterns of yellow over a lacquerish black body. Ki Utsuri are judged by the same criteria as Shiro and Hi Utsuri. Variations of Ki Utsuri include Gin Rin Ki Utsuri and Kin Ki Utsuri.
What makes a koi show quality?
Regardless of the colour or pattern chosen, any good Koi should possess strong and even colouration, with no patchiness when mature. Fins may be yellow or white, or a combination of both colours, but again ensure that there is a balance, so that for example both pectoral fins are the same colours.
What size koi should I buy?
Koi demand a large environment, and this can cost a great deal as well. Generally, the ideal size for a Koi pond is considered to be over 1,000 gallons and at least three feet deep. Size: Koi fish need a lot of space.
What is Gin Rin koi?
Kin-Gin-Rin (keen-geen-leen) is a reference to a koi’s scale type rather than the variety of koi, and literally means ‘golden silver reflective scales. Gin Rin is highly reflective so that each scale glistens when it catches the light. It’s no wonder that koi are called Living Jewels.
How big do Showa koi get?
Most domestic Koi usually grow about 12 to 15 inches long. Japanese Koi usually grow 22 to 26 inches in long. Jumbo sized Koi grow up to 34 to 36 inches long.
What is Beni koi?
“Beni” is only used to refer to red color on Gosanke varieties (Kohaku, Sanke, Showa) “Hi” is used when referring to Koi pattern on non-Gosanke, such as Hi Utsuri (black base Koi with red pattern) “Aka” refers to Koi that are nearly or all red (Aka Muji, Aka Sanke and Aka Bekko)
What is Grade A koi?
Grade A Koi are the top grade of all the koi. They come in a variety of colors and patterns typically consisting of white, yellow, orange. Koi are hardy fish that have been referred to as “living jewels”. – Large outdoor pond fish. – With proper care, can live upwards of 35 years or more.
What are the friendliest koi fish?
Chagoi
Chagoi (Chah’-goy) It is almost universally agreed to be the friendliest of the koi classifications because it is the most aggressive at feeding time and almost always the first fish to become hand-tame.
How can you tell if a koi is a Showa?
When you see a koi with a significant, heavy pattern that encircles the fish, you can bet it’s a Showa. Here’s an easy way to remember this tip: Showa ends with “-wa,” and its patterns wrap around.
When did the Showa Sanshoku koi come out?
Showa Sanshoku, one of the gosanke or “big three” along with Kohaku and Taisho Sanshoku (Sanke) koi, came about in 1927. A breeder by the name of Jukichi Hoshino crossed a Kohaku (white and red coloration) with a ki utsuri (yellow with black bands).
Can you breed a Showa Koi with Sanke?
To breed showa cross showa with showa. at about three days post hatch keep only the black fry. These black babies will be the potential showa babies although only a few will turn out to be anything identifyable as showa. Only type of koi harder to breed than showa is Sanke
How many colors do Sanke and Showa fish have?
Both Sanke and Showa have three colors — white, red and black. Each color should be vivid and clearly defined on the fish, with an obvious distinction between the colors. Color depth is important, too: it should be a uniform hue, regardless of where it appears on the koi. Each color should appear solid, dense and free of any other color.